DEA Raids Humboldt Cannabis
Center, Destroys Patients’ Medicine --
California NORML Press Release
See
Jet Ranger
Helicopter Used In Humboldt County; Medical Users Allowed To Keep 10 PlantsCalifornia
NORML Press Release
September 15, 1998
DEA Raids Humboldt Cannabis Center, Destroys Patients’ Medicine
Arcata, CA:
Sept. 9, 1998. DEA agents raided the collective medical marijuana garden of the
Humboldt Cannabis Center in Arcata, destroying over 150 plants intended for medical use by
its members. Eyewitnesses report that a team of fourteen agents
landed by helicopter at the center’s garden last Wednesday, Sept. 9th.
Included were four state narcotics agents, who claimed to be observers but participated in
destroying the crop. The DEA did not raid the center’s office nor arrest any of its
personnel.
The DEA has staged similar raids against medical marijuana gardens at the San Francisco
Flower Therapy club and Dennis Peron’s Lake County Farm.
See
Peron Replants
After The DEA Destroys Medical Marijuana Harvest
The Humboldt Cannabis Center is a patient collective with over 300 members. It operates
in accordance with an Arcata city ordinance which explicitly recognizes the right of
patients to form "medical marijuana associations" to help acquire marijuana for
themselves. The Center has worked in close cooperation with local authorities, including
Arcata police chief Mel Brown, who runs a patient identification card program.
See
Most Governments
In California Have Flunked The Test Of Implementation Of Prop 215 – Orange County
Register
In an effort to cooperate with local authorities, Humboldt
Cannabis Center had notified law enforcement of the location of its garden.
Insofar
as cultivation of marijuana by medical patients is protecte d nder Proposition 215, state
officials have no authority to disturb collective gardens. However, DEA agents act under
federal law, under which medical marijuana remains strictly illegal. Observers suspect
that a disgruntled local law enforcement official tipped off the DEA to come in.
"I guess they’d rather that patients buy on the black
market," commented Humboldt Cannabis Center director Jason Browne, "The federal
government is promoting illegal drug dealing."
California NORML denounced the raid as an outrageous example of government piracy,
noting that the Humboldt center is widely respected as one of the best-run medical
cooperatives in the state.
Contacts: Jason Browne, Humboldt Cannabis Center (707) 825-0839; Dale Gieringer,
California NORML (415)563-5858. canorml@igc.apc.org 2215-R
Market St. #278, San Francisco CA 94114
Supported